Falling away from the Faith (it's possible)

[willybob]

The word church (ecclesia) means called out ones. Church is a body of people.

Correct Chris, the church is not a place or a building, rather that is Mystery Babylon founded upon Jewish OT rithuals mixed with paganism...The fact is the believers ARE the church...and in the epistles they gathered around a full mea, all having a word to speak, and not a meger wine and cracker ceremony listening to a one man sernman, and none held precedence over the other, just as Jesus said it should be. No titles, no honors, no special clothing to be seen among men, no big shots, because Jesus is the only Big Shot in the bunch....

 

[willybob]

please excuse my TYPO, the saints in the days of the apostles gathered around a full meal....

 

[valiant]

James 2
[SUP]24 [/SUP]You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

James
[SUP]26 [/SUP]For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

- the body without a born again spirit is spiritually dead. It may look alive, walk around, go to a restaurant, party --- but it is spiritually dead.
- James compares this "lifeless" body to "Faith without works". It goes to church, sings hymn, praise songs, etc - but it is dead works. Unless you love, your faith is dead.

Agreed.

1 Corinthians 13New King James Version (NKJV)

13 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.<dead faith> [SUP]2 [/SUP]And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. <dead faith> [SUP]3 [/SUP]And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned,[SUP][a][/SUP] but have not love, it profits me nothing. <dead faith>

[SUP]4 [/SUP]Love suffers long and is kind <true faith>; love does not envy <true faith>; love does not parade itself <true faith>, is not puffed up <true faith>; [SUP]5 [/SUP]does not behave rudely <true faith>, does not seek its own <true faith>, is not provoked <true faith>, thinks no evil <true faith>; [SUP]6 [/SUP]does not rejoice in iniquity <true faith>, but rejoices in the truth <true faith>; [SUP]7 [/SUP]bears all things <true faith>, believes all things <true faith>, hopes all things <true faith>, endures all things <true faith>.

[SUP]8 [/SUP]Love never fails <true faith>. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. [SUP]9 [/SUP]For we know in part and we prophesy in part. [SUP]10 [/SUP]But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

[SUP]11 [/SUP]When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. [SUP]12 [/SUP]For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

[SUP]13 [/SUP]And now abide faith, hope, love, these three <true faith>; but the greatest of these is love.

These arise from true faith, but they are NOT in themselves true faith. You cannot just change its meaning by putting it in red.

 

[PeterJens]

I had an idea of how some fall away.

When you look at a young person, heaped in the street with drugs destroying their
life it is hard to imagine the happy youngster they once were.

They sowed to the flesh and reaped death.
As believers we have this choice, go back to the world or sow to the Spirit.

Learn how love and hurt drive you, and let the love in Christ be your light and
you will have the light of life, Amen.

Once Jesus has worked through your heart, healed and laid a new foundation
through repentance and confession of each sin you know, then truly purity of
life will be made manifest, Hallelujah.

 

[BillG]

Learn how love and hurt drive you, and let the love in Christ be your light and
you will have the light of life, Amen.

That is true.

I think also we could add fear to that. An unhealthy fear of our Father in heaven, one that can't relate to Abba Father.

1 John 4:18-19
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us.

 

[valiant]

I had an idea of how some fall away.

When you look at a young person, heaped in the street with drugs destroying their
life it is hard to imagine the happy youngster they once were.

They sowed to the flesh and reaped death.

True alas.

As believers we have this choice, go back to the world or sow to the Spirit

.


So you have no one Who watches over you, cares for you and restores you?

 

[PeterJens]

That is true.

I think also we could add fear to that. An unhealthy fear of our Father in heaven, one that can't relate to Abba Father.

1 John 4:18-19
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us.

Can I ask you about fear? I am not generally a fearful person, very occasionally I have been gripped by it.
I have had people who have had panic attacks, and suffered badly. In my life I developed a coping strategy
of defining risk, and knowing what I can and cannot do.

One approach is to always see yourself in Gods hands of love, keeping you.
With all this embedded in my life, it means I do not put myself in dread.

I had to do this as a teenager because I had no support. I see it now. So I wonder now if the legalism
many talk about is fueled by the fear that in part the Lord had already resolved in me?

Thankfully we brought up 3 kids and have given them all we can to smooth over the shocks.
Knowing you are loved really helps in so much of life

 

[BillG]

Can I ask you about fear? I am not generally a fearful person, very occasionally I have been gripped by it.
I have had people who have had panic attacks, and suffered badly. In my life I developed a coping strategy
of defining risk, and knowing what I can and cannot do.

One approach is to always see yourself in Gods hands of love, keeping you.
With all this embedded in my life, it means I do not put myself in dread.

I had to do this as a teenager because I had no support. I see it now. So I wonder now if the legalism
many talk about is fueled by the fear that in part the Lord had already resolved in me?

Thankfully we brought up 3 kids and have given them all we can to smooth over the shocks.
Knowing you are loved really helps in so much of life

An unhealthy fear holds you in its grip.
It wares you down, keep you Its prisoner.
It builds up barriers.
it gives you jaundiced view of life and people.
It tells you that you are useless and rejection is upon you and in you.

 

[PeterJens]

True alas.
So you have no one Who watches over you, cares for you and restores you?

The Lord works everything for His purpose. We just see the next step. And calling is to walk,
So let us walk. We are always in His hands, Amen.

 

[Chris1975]

Agreed.



These arise from true faith, but they are NOT in themselves true faith. You cannot just change its meaning by putting it in red.

Hebrews 11 (whole chapter) would testify to this application of the word faith.

 

[PeterJens]

An unhealthy fear holds you in its grip.
It wares you down, keep you Its prisoner.
It builds up barriers.
it gives you jaundiced view of life and people.
It tells you that you are useless and rejection is upon you and in you.

Amen. I can see how this can happen. Fear like this is truly tragic.
What concerns me is how many young men get entombed by fears like this and commit
suicide. It seems a growing problem, but I am not sure how to reach out and help?

A guys ministry has started, to try and get men to bond more and open up.
I think urban culture and the internet play into isolation and loneliness.

 

[BillG]

Amen. I can see how this can happen. Fear like this is truly tragic.
What concerns me is how many young men get entombed by fears like this and commit
suicide. It seems a growing problem, but I am not sure how to reach out and help?

A guys ministry has started, to try and get men to bond more and open up.
I think urban culture and the internet play into isolation and loneliness.

Life experiences does this. Early childhood.

There is a saying that we are the product of our environment.
Thank Jesus when we come to him he brings us into his environment.

We as believers should come alongside those who struggle, whether it be fear, addictions and so on.

To be kind, gentle, not condemning but loving.

Part of my ministry in our church is to come alongside hurt and broken people. It's challenging but the rewards are great.
Seeing broken, hurt people being set free, growing in the love of Christ, growing in trust. It's amazing to see it.

They get to know the truth and it's this truth that sets them free.

What a great God we have.

 

[Chris1975]

Job 34

[SUP]26 [/SUP]He strikes them as wicked men
In the open sight of others,
[SUP]27 [/SUP]Because they turned back from Him,
And would not consider any of His ways,

 

[Chris1975]

Job 22
[SUP]22 [/SUP]Receive, please, instruction from His mouth,
And lay up His words in your heart.
[SUP]23 [/SUP]If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up;
You will remove iniquity far from your tents.

 

[Chris1975]

Do not stray so far as to fall from the faith.

Sin is the snare that leads you there.

 

[Chris1975]

[video=youtube;0kX8O8OAcJ8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kX8O8OAcJ8&amp;t=2s[/video]

 

[mailmandan]

Do not stray so far as to fall from the faith.

Sin is the snare that leads you there.

You are a broken record of gloom and doom and fear and bondage to IN-security. Those who permanently fall away from the faith were never firmly rooted and established in the faith to begin with. Failing to understand that is your snare.

 

[Chris1975]

1 Timothy 4

4 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,


Just repeating what the Spirit says mailmandan.

 

[mailmandan]

1 Timothy 4

4 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,


Just repeating what the Spirit says mailmandan.

And giving it your own twist. See post #210.

 

[Chris1975]

Romans 11

[SUP]19 [/SUP]You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” [SUP]20 [/SUP]Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. [SUP]21 [/SUP]For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. [SUP]22 [/SUP]Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness,[SUP][f][/SUP] if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.

Another example of those in the faith (v19) having the possibility of falling away (v22) if you once again fall into unbelief, as the Israelites fell into (v20)